Improvement in obtaining useful products from the tarry residuum of petroleum



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH MILLOOHAU, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT [N OBTAINING USEFUL PRODUCTS FROM THE TARRY RESIDUUM 0F PETROLEUM.

When crude petroleum or rock-oil is dis'- tilled several 'difl'erent products are obtained. The first of these whichappears is a very volatile liquid knownin commerce as benzine, naphtha, carbonspirits, or light oil. The second product is called burningoil, or kerosene, and, as is well known, is largely used for illuminating purposes. The least volatile product of the distillation is commonly termed heavy oil. After all these products have been taken ofl there re mains in the still a thick, black, tarry mass, known under the name of residuum of distillation, and which has generally been regarded as of little value, having been heretofore used chiefly for fuel, or as a material for making illuminating-gas.

The object of my invention is to so treat this residuum as to obtain from it highly valuable articles of commerce. To this end I take the residuum at a temperature of from 150 to 175 Fahrenheit. The still will furnish it already heated to this point; or it may be taken "in a cold state, and just before or during the treatment may be raised to said temperature. I first put itinto-such tanks as are used in treating oilslwith acid, and add to it ten per cent. of benzine, of a specific gravity of from 58 to 75 Baum, stirring it a few minutes to effect a thorough mixture. I then add to the mass ten per cent. thereof of sulphuric acid of commerce, and stir and agitate the compound for about an hour; when a thick coke-like mass will collect and be precipitated to the bottom in mixture with the acid. I leave, it undisturbed for about the same period of an, hour, at the end of which time the acid and impurities will be found at the bottom of the tank entirely separated from the oily portion of the compound. .This oil, which at first was black, has now become green. I then draw oh the oily part and put it into another tank and treat it,'without redrawing, first with about five per-cent. and then with about three per cent. more of a wash of soda or potash, of aspecific gravity of from. 25 to 30 Baum, agitate the mass-for about one hour, and then allow it to stand about an hour, when the wash may be separated from the oil in-the manner well known to refiners ofpetroleum. The oil has now turned from green to yellowish red. The product thus obtained is the chief object of my invention. It constitutes an oil which is quite pure, and which in cold weather becomes of about the consistencyof lard or moderately-salt butter, and'is one of thebest lubricants known. For this purpose it may be used either alone or in combination with the ordinary lubricating oils and fats. For wagon-grease or for heavy machinery, and where considerable heat is liable to be generated, it forms, without the addition of any other substance, one of the most superior lubricators yet produced. It is very difficult-to inflame, is not liable to be..- come gummy, and does not, so far as I am aware, corrode any of the metals, but forms one of the best protections against the corro; sive action of air and moisture upon the ordinary metals used in machinery. Vhen de-.

sirable-as, for inst-ance,when the oil is to be employed for lubricating the lighter classes of inachineryit may be properly thinned by mixing with it the ordinary heavy oil distilled from petroleum, or any of the fat oils commonly used for lubricating.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and-desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. Producing an oil or grease from petro leum or coal-oil tarry residuum by the process herein set forth, said process consisting in treating said residuum first with benzine or light oil, and then with an acid, and in removing the acid by means of an alkali and water, the whole. substantiallyas described.

2. Producing from said residuum an oil suitable for burning in lamps by the withindescribed combination of processes-that is to say, by first preparing the oil or grease in the manner herein set forth and then distilling the same, substantially as specified.

A. MILLOCHAU.

Witnesses:

S. D. OozznNs, ANDREW S. Toni). 

